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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Cut back slowly. Try gradually eliminating places where you are allowed to puff. That way, you never tell yourself you have to smoke less, you just make it inconvenient.

Try medication. Antidepressants such as bupropion (Zyban) are almost twice as successfull at quitting as smokers who don't. Just take note of any side effects such as nausea and trouble sleeping.

Don't let weight worries stop you. Women often fear that they'll pack 10-20 lbs. if they put down the cigarettes, but the fact is, 20% of women who quit don't gain any weight-and those who put on an average of just 5 lbs, accdg. to National Women's Health Information Center.

Use nicotine replacements like the patch, inhaler or gum. A study at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota found that pairing nicotine replacements with a support program (like telephone quit lines) increased even heavy smokers' odds of quitting successfully.

Stop at the right time. For women, their menstrual cycle might help. Due to hormonal fluctuations, cravings for food, nicotine or alcohol tend to increase during the 1 to 2 weeks before their period, the reason why women are best able to extinguish a cigarette habit during the 2 weeks after their periods, when feel-good estrogen is on the rise.

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